The Two Kitsune
by crazykitty476
Summary: Eriko goes to school with Kurama, known to her as Suichi. At first she doesn't trust him, but the two get closer as necesity takes over. A dark creature has come after Eriko to take her life, but with Kurama's help will she beable to unlock her past?
1. Loss and Discovered

Eriko Hinasaki: Age 15. 5 feet tall, black hair, hazel eyes, fair skinned, and of American/Japanese descent. The heroine of this story. Although if you asked her, she would tell you that she was just your ordinary kid with an obscure past. If you asked her about that past, she would probably tell you to get an irritate someone else, because that's the kind of person she is. If you asked others about her, they'd probably say she was a juvenile delinquent with a soft spot for all things furry with four legs. Eriko never was what one could call social, but that's how she was. She never went looking for violence, but it always seemed to find her. After a while she must have gotten tired of running from it, because now she's one of the most feared street punks in Tokyo. This is her story...

"Do you make it a point to eaves drop, Suichi Minamino?" Eriko called out to the figure behind her. She turned on the bench and glared at the red-haired youth, standing near a tree some ten feet away. They were in a park near the same Jr. High they both attended.

"What?"

"You heard me. Stop following me, dammit." Eriko stood with a huff, gently setting a young, silver tabby cat down on the ground. "We'll finish our conversation at the apartment, alright Joben?" She whispered to it. The tabby meowed, slightly annoyed.

'If that's what you'd like, Eri, I can do nothing but obey.' The cat purred softly, rubbing it's body along her leg.

"You know that's not true, Joben. You can do whatever you want." The cat purred softly again and walked away, leaving Eriko on her own with her class mate. Eriko watched the silver tabby walk away, still sitting on the balls of her feet. She looked up at Suichi, who had suddenly appeared right next to her. He held out a hand to help her up. "Hn." Eriko stood on her own and dusted off her red school uniform. "See you tomorrow at school, Suichi. Congradulations on the top test score again." She grabbed her book bag and walked off, leaving Suichi on his own.

_Something about that boy irks me..._ Eriko thought as she walked out of the park and along the sidewalk, heading to her apartment. _It's like he's hiding something. Something that reminds me of animals. Almost like a fox..._ Eriko looked up at the cloudless sky. "What could you be trying to pass off?" She stopped and smiled when she saw a small sparrow like bird. "Heya, Aki." She said as she extended a hand to let the bird land.

'Hello Hello, Miss Eri. Fine day isn't it? Isn't it? Yes, yes, it is! Who is that boy behind you? The one with greener eyes than the trees' leaves?" Eriko listened to the little sparrow's babble, until it got to the part about the boy with green eyes. She turned suddenly and found herself staring at Suichi.

"Why the hell are you following me?" Eriko nearly shouted at him, but Suichi calmly smiled at her.

"I happen to walk home this way aswell."

"Oh." Eriko looked away and blushed slightly, turning back around and continuing to walk.

"That is a rare talent to beable to coax wild birds into perching on you." Suichi started to walk next to her, shortening his gait so he wasn't walking faster than she was. Eriko didn't answer, but instead gently stroked the bird's head before it flew away. "You don't talk very much do you? Even at school during class, you are relatively quiet." Suichi said quietly, looking at her carefully. Almost like he was gauging her.

"Why talk when you have nothing to say?" Eriko replied, carefully not looking at him. It was only a little further to her apartment.

"Good bye, Eriko. I'll see you tomorrow at school?" Suichi stopped by a gate infront of a small house.

"Why wouldn't you see me at school?" She said coldly as she kept walking. "Sorry. Yes, I'll see ya at school tomorrow Suichi. Have a nice night." Eriko repeated, softening her tone so it wasn't so frigid and angry.

The rest of the walk home was quiet and slightly uneventful. That is, up until a group of second rate punks decided to try and expand their reps.

"So, you're supposed to be the little bitch controlling this area huh? For some reason, me and the fellas thought you'd be taller, not such a scrawny little whore." It was a group of three idiots, all of them uglier than sin. The obvious leader stood at around 6 foot 5, with a crew cut. His two flunkies were around 5' 9". The three of them were all wearing Sariaski Jr. High uniforms.

"So, you mutated triplets are from Urameshi's turf huh? Why don't you go and waste his time." Eriko said as she walked calmly past.

"HEY! He's talking to you!" Flunky #1 yelled at her, grabbing her shoulder roughly.

"Bad move." Eriko glared at him before she grabbed his wrist. She foot swept him and had him on his stomach before anyone blinked, putting him in a joint lock with his elbow. "I'll kindly ask you to keep your hands off my person. Unless you'd like me to break this joint for you." She slowly applied pressure to the lock, making the guy whimper while his buddies stared open-mouthed at her.

"One little girl isn't enough to beat us!" The leader shouted as he charged at her. Eriko sighed briefly, side stepping quickly so the idiot ran into a parked car.

"I was really hoping to end this without a fight..." Eriko turned in time to see him coming back at her. This time, she side stepped and tripped him over his fallen comrade, who was still whimpering over his elbow. "Idiots..." Eriko looked at the second flunky, who looked torn between wanting to go after her, and wanting to get away before he got hurt. "Hey, Einstein. Don't think too much, you'll hurt yourself." She calmly shouldered her bag and kept walking back to her apartment.

'You're late, Eri. Did you have interference from that boy on your way here?' Joben the tabby asked her.

"No, Suichi wasn't the problem. It was three idiots from another school. No doubt they'll tell Urameshi and make it look like I was trying to encrouch on his turf." Eriko muttered, opening the door for the cat.

'I doubt he even knows what encrouch is. But, if you beat them that easily, they will go to their alpha and ask him to avenge their defeat.' Joben walked in and hopped up onto the dining table. He instantly started eyeing the cat food she had set out that morning just for his visit.

"Maybe not. Urameshi hasn't really been around lately. I might just get away from this without having to fight him. Any news about my dear ol' daddy in prison?" Eriko smiled at the cat before opening the first can and setting it on a small dish for him.

'Is this Urameshi really that strong that you would fear him, Eri?' The silver cat ignored the second question.

"I've never had to fight him... But from what I've heard, he's a toughie that I really don't want to mess with. What about my father?" Father was said with much bitterness and hatred. She leaned against the counter and held the dish, watching the cat drool as it stared at the food. "Damn it, Joben. You need to eat more if you're drooling over this stuff..."

'I apologize, Eri. As for your father, word is that he's gotten out, and he's searching for you in America.'

Eriko visibly flinched. "Those bastards in court told me he wouldn't ever get a damn parole hearing so early. It's only been 10 years..." With a practiced hand, she found the picture she always carried. It was an image of her and her mother, with the corner of her father torn off. She'd burned that corner and threw the ashes away.

'I'm sorry Eri. No one like him should be out...'

Eriko blinked and set the picture down. "Don't worry about it. Here's your dinner. I'm going to bed if ya don't mind." She put the food down and gently patted the cat. "Don't stay up too late, Joben." Eriko looked at him one last time before heading to her room and falling asleep on her bed.

_Where are you? Where are you hiding, dearest Eriko... I'll find you, and send you to meet your mother in Spirit World..._

Eriko bolted up from her dream. She couldn't help but think it was a link to her past. In it, she screamed for her mom, because it felt like someone was tearing her apart. Her mom showed up and transformed into a kitsune and comforted her, telling her it was only her other half finally awakening. Her father came home early and saw her mother as a kitsune, and all hell broke loose. Her father started shouting things Eriko didn't understand, about demons and half-breeds. He also kept talking about his job. How it was his job to hunt things down. There was a bright flash, and Eriko's mom was no more, blown away by her father's power. He turned to Eriko, and said that he could never love a creature like her, and used his light to try and kill her.

She was drenched in sweat as she looked at the clock, groaning when she saw the time.

"12:01 am.... stupid nightmare...." Eriko stood and yawned, walking into the living room. She stopped dead in her tracks when she flipped the light on, her gaze falling upon Joben's bleeding corpse.

"Oh, my, god! Joben!" Eriko shouted as she kneeled down next to the loyal cat's body. Tears started roll down her cheeks as she felt his side, trying to tell if he was breathing.

"It's no use. That cat has been dead for many hours." Eriko froze when she heard that voice. The voice she had just heard in her dream. "Surprised that I found you so fast, Eriko? Your mother never did teach you the tricks most kits know. Like how to protect themselves from being caught by the hunter..."

Eriko looked up with hate filled eyes at her last living relative, her bastard of a father. He was wearing a black trench coat and hat, hiding his hazel eyes from her.

"You didn't need to kill Joben. He was an innocent bystander." She said coldly, willing him to die right on the spot. "Just like you didn't need to kill my mother."

"That's where you're wrong, dear Eriko. I needed to kill her because she lied to me. Because she was trying to save her own skin by sleeping with the enemy. She hoped compassion would save her from her fate. But she only brought another monster into the world, and I don't like leaving loose ends."

He pointed a hand gun at Eriko, who clutching the body of her cherished friend. "Don't call me 'Dear Eriko'." She hissed at him while he looked down the barrel of the gun.

"Fair enough. Good bye, fox. Say hello to your mother for me." He pulled the trigger.

_Fox?_ Eriko asked herself as she suddenly leapt back from the bullet, new found agility moving her away from danger. She assumed it was only the adrenaline in her system. A second shot grazed her shoulder and she dropped Joben's body in pain and surprise.

"I've always hated you, since that day 10 years ago. Was what you did to my mother worth losing the love of your child?!" She growled at him, clutching her burning shoulder as she backed up to the door.

"I have no child." Was his response as he sighted down his arm again, aiming for her heart.

Eriko's eyes reflected nothing but hatred for the man as he pulled the trigger again, Eriko knowing she was trapped. She shut her eyes and prepared to feel the lead biting into her chest, but what happened surprised both of them.

A barrier had erected itself around her, making the bullet glance off to the side. Eriko wasted no time and fled out into the darkness outside. She ran down the hall of the building and skidded to a stop by the stairs. She looked back to see if her father was following, and saw him chasing her down.

"Shit." She muttered as she skidded down the stairs. When she hit the ground floor, she was off like a shot running down the street.

Eriko nearly tripped, only to hear a bullet go wooshing past the place her head used to be. She ran faster, not knowing where she was going. Her feet carried her to Suichi's house, where she ducked into the yard and nearly broke down the door.

"Suichi, if you're home, I really REALLY could use some help right now!" She shrieked at the door. as she pounded on it. A bullet whizzed past and hit the door frame. "Crap!" Eriko bent down and found a potted plant, which she proceeded to chuck at her father. It hit his hand, but he didn't drop the gun. "You've gotta be kidding me!" He took another shot and hit her shoulder this time.

"DAMN IT SUICHI! OPEN THE DOOR BEFORE I BREAK IT!" Lights turned on in the house as another bullet nearly took her in the neck, but still missed. "Man, your aim really sucks." Eriko said as she watched him. He was reloading the gun. "Now would be a really good time to open the door!" She shouted, leaning on the door. She fell through when it opened, and found herself staring up at a soft spoken woman.

"Oh, hi... You Mrs. Minamino?" Eriko asked from her back. The woman nodded. "Great, I found the right house..." Eriko tried to smile. She quickly shut the door and locked it, finally sliding down it, leaving a trail of red blood as she sat against the door.

"I've called the police, mother. They're on their way..." Suichi looked down at the foot of the door and saw Eriko sitting there, trying to get her breath.

"Sorry about the commotion, Mrs. Minamino. My psychotic dad just got out of prison and tried to kill me." Eriko said with shut eyes. "This was the only place I could think of to get help..."

"Eriko, have you been.... shot?" She opened her eyes and saw that Suichi was kneeled next to her, holding a wad of something to the bullet wound in her shoulder.

"Obvious questions have obvious answers."

"Were you shot anywhere else?" He asked.

"No. Another bullet grazed the top of my shoulder on the same side, but he missed all the other times."

He smiled a small, relieved smile. "I'm glad. We'll get you medical treatment as soon as possible." Eriko nodded briefly before fading into blissful sleep.

The next time she woke, there were dozens of birds sitting outside her hospital window.

'Is she awake yet?'

'What happened?'

'Wasn't the cat supposed to be watching over her? How could he have let this happen!'

'Have the others found him?'

'What are they going to do when they find him?'

"Hey guys." Eriko said as she sat up. Her body was stiff and numb with all the pain killers they probably pumped into her. "How long have I been out?"

'Almost 4 days, Miss Eri! The boy with eyes greener than trees' leaves visited you everyday!' Aki cried out. She was the closest to the window.

"Suichi? Came to visit?" Eriko asked quietly, fidgeting with the IV in her arm.

"Are you talking to someone, Eriko?" Suichi walked into the room, smiling. "I'm glad you're awake."

Eriko shook her head. She had always been able to talk with animals, and they had always been able to understand her. Talking with them had been second nature. Of course, she hid this ability from everyone, because it generally got her strange looks.

"No, you're just hearing things." Eriko smiled at him. "How long have I been out?"

"Almost 4 days."

"That long? But I still feel tired."

"Go back to sleep, Eriko. You need your rest."

"I think you're right..." Eriko leaned back and fell asleep.

**Sometime Later, in Spirit World**

"Yes? What is it Kurama?" Koenma asked while he vigorously stamped papers infront of him.

"I was wondering if there was a demon by the name of Eriko Hinasaki living in Tokyo."

"Hm... Hinasaki did you say?"

"Yes."

Koemna stopped stamping and started rifling through some papers in his desk. He finally pulled out three files, each one with a different picture stapled to the file. The first was a young japanese woman with short black hair and brown eyes. The next was a young man with brown hair and hazel eyes. The final one was of a young girl with black hair and hazel eyes. She looked about five.

"Meet the Hinasaki's. A family consisting of one demon hunter, a kitsune, and their half human daughter. Doug Berven, the demon hunter, married Aneko Hinasaki and took her last name. They had one daughter together, named Haruko Eriko Hinasaki. After 10 years of being happily married, Doug found out his wife was actually a kitsune. He basically went nuts and killed her right on the spot..."

Kurama stood over the desk and stared down at the pictures while Koenma looked through more pages.

"He turned on his five year old daughter, whose demonic side was begining form, and fired on her with spirit energy. However, his wife wasn't quite dead and used the last of her power to permanently seal away her husband's spirit energy. With that, she sacrificed herself for her daughter, and died soon afterwards. The father was arrested by human police, and the daughter went missing before Spirit World could find her. Why are you asking about this old case, Kurama?"

Kurama looked away for a moment, deep in thought. "If Haruko was still alive, what powers, as a half kitsune, would she possess?"

"Hard to say... Aneko was a very talented kitsune with many abilities. One of her most prominent abilities was her ability to command animals. I believe she had commanded them to watch over her daughter before someone took her to spirit world. That was the reason we lost her; because the animals hid her so well. She may have inherited that power from her mother, but there were still many others she might have gained aswell... Do you think you've found Haruko Hinasaki?! We need to get her in here right away before her deranged dad finds her!"

Kurama picked up the photo of a younger Eriko from Koenma's desk and looked at it closely. "Too late. Her father found her four days ago and wounded her. She's in a hospital right now recovering. She goes by the name Eriko, now."

"Great. I'll send Yusuke and Kuwabara to get her when she's recovered."

Kurama smiled a small smile. "I don't think it will be as easy as you believe."

He set the photo down and left, his thoughts centered around Eriko and her past. _Could she have known she was part kitsune? Is that why she ran to my house that night?_

END CHAPTER 1


	2. Never Say That Again

Yusuke Urameshi was walking home from school with Kayko as he normally did. She was also giving him her daily lecture about the importance of not skiping class as he had almost done half way through the day.

"Come on, Kayko. Haven't you chewed me out enough?" Yusuke sighed.

"No, Yusuke. I'm not going to stop unless you promise not to ditch again!"

"Yusuke!" Botan nearly tackled him from behind, waving a video tape. "You have a new assignment from Koenma."

"Another one! Can't binky breath find someone else? Have Hiei or Kurama do it." Yusuke turned back around and started walking.

"No, he can't get someone else to do it, Yusuke! You're the spirit detective, so it's your responsibility!" Botan shouted at him, throwing the tape at him. Kayko caught it after it smacked him in the back of his head.

"Dammit, Botan! That hurt!"

Botan stuck her tongue out at him. "You were made spirit detective for a reason, Yusuke. Start doing your job! Where's Kuwabara anyway? Koenma said he could assist you on this case. Oh, get that look off your face! It's not even that hard of a case to begin with!"

"Fine. Whatever. Kuwabara's probably at his house anyway." Yusuke grumbled as he started walking to Kuwabara's house

At Kuwabara's House

The group popped the video tape into Kuwabara's VCR, everyone sitting around the TV. Even Shizuru and Kayko were watching. A teenaged Koenma popped on screen, the background black while a spotlight was focused on him.

"Hello, Yusuke. As Botan has probably already informed you, I have another pressing case for you." A picture came into focus next to Koenma. It was obviously taken without the subject's knowing, because it was just too natural. "Your next mission is a seach and recovery, involving this girl." The picture took up the entire screen. "Her name is Haruko Eriko Hinasaki. She is 15 years old, and also an unknowing half-kitsune."

"Like Kurama?" Kuwabara asked stupidly.

"No, you moron. Kurama's a full kitsune trapped in a human body. Remember?" Yusuke said irritatedly.

"Her mother was one of the most powerful Kitsune of her time, running along the lines of Yoko's power." Two pictures replaced Eriko's on the screen. They were of Eriko's parents. "The picture on the left is Aneko Hinasaki, the kitsune parent. The picture on the right is of her father, Doug Berven. He was a world-class demon hunter with the ability to use spirit energy. In a twist of fate, Doug found out his wife was a kitsune, and murdered her infront of Haruko when she was five."

"That's awful!" Botan chimed in.

"How could someone kill their loved one right infront of their child?" Kayko asked more to herself than anyone.

"Doug then faced his daughter and tried to use his spirit energy against her, but with Aneko's last fleeting moments of life, she sealed up his spirit energy before he could harm their daughter. In a rage, Doug tried to strangle Haruko. Now a spirit, Aneko was able to find the family dog outside in the backyard. She commanded him to break into the house and protect Haruko while she commanded the other animals to guard her when she escaped. The dog burst in and saved Haruko, dragging her to safety while the police arrested her father. She has virtually been an orphan ever since." The pictures faded and the screen was once again focused on Koenma. "It is absoluetly necessary that you find Haruko before her father. He's already found and wounded her once, and we need to get her to spirit world before her kitsune half awakens. If he pushes her into a corner, he could unleash one of the most dangerous creatures in existance. If she was an ordinary half human/kitsune, I wouldn't be worried. However, considering her parents and their powers, she is very dangerous if she is left as-is. She is untrained in all of her abilities and poses a serious threat because of her inexperience."

"What the hell, Botan! I thought you said this case was going to be easy!" Yusuke shouted at her.

"I said, 'it's not even that hard to begin with'. I never said it was easy!"

"Now you're just twisting words!"

"Will the two of you please be quiet? He's not done talking." Kayko said, eyes still glued to the screen.

"Another reason why this case is so important is because it involves all the animals in the vicinity of Tokyo. One of the abilities Haruko has already obtained is the ability to speak with and command animals. If Haruko gets angry enough, she can order all the animals to attack a designated human. Should this happen, she will be seen as unfit to live among humans, and brought to spirit world and convicted of human hunting because of her demonic lineage." A map appeared on screen. "She attends the same school as Kurama, and is known only as 'Eriko' around there. Your mission is to approach Haruko and bring her back to Spirit World as peacefully as possible. Her route to and from school is highlighted, and it is suggested that you approach her here at this park. Be careful Yusuke."

With that, the film stopped and the VCR started to automatically rewind the tape.

"Eriko... sounds familiar." Yusuke said, deep in thought. His eyes were screwed up in concentration as he tried to remember that name.

"I think she's the chick that runs the turf over by that other jr. high." Kuwabara said. "I think she kicked the ass of some of the kids at our school the other day."

"Anyone we knew?"

"Nope, just some random punks that went over and picked a fight."

"Ok. Let's go and say hello Kuwabara." Yusuke stood and stretched, before walking over to the door.

Back to Eriko

Eriko was spending her last day at the hospital, and she was eager to leave. The birds snuck into her room every once in a while, keeping her company during the day while she was bored.

Suichi also came to visit every day, bringing her homework and missed assignments along with him and tutoring her through the missed lessons. Eriko still didn't trust him, and remained quiet for most of his visits. She was hoping to be gone before he came to visit that day.

The nurse that was responsible for her (someone who was far too perky for her own good in Eriko's opinion) came in and started helping her get the IV drip out of her arm.

"I'm sure you're really excited about going home with that little friend of your's!" The nurse said way too happily. Eriko was wondering if she should have gagged or not.

"What little friend? I don't live with anyone at my home, and there's no one I've talked to to come and pick me up." Eriko said coldly, rubbing the place the IV needle had been.

"You mean you don't know that that nice boy is coming to pick you up?" Eriko almost fell out of the hospital bed.

"Suichi is coming to take me home?" She flinched when she touched the bullet wound in her shoulder. "Dammit. I need to get out of here now..." She grumbled. "Thanks, ma'am. I think I'll... uh... go and wait for him in the lobby."

"Alright, hun. Have a nice day!"

Eriko nearly ran out of the hospital room and over to the elevators, mashing the button to call the elevator. She looked away for a brief moment to see the nurse coming back out of her room.

"Eriko?"

Eriko nearly jumped in surprise at Suichi's voice. It turned out he was in the elevator she had been calling, along with his mother.

"I should have taken the stairs..." Eriko muttered.

The three trooped into Mrs. Minamino's car and started driving away from the hospital. Suichi and his mother in the front, while Eriko sat in the back.

"Thanks for getting me to the hospital and driving me to my apartment." Eriko said quietly.

"Not a problem. However, I can't take you back to your apartment. The police still haven't found that man that was chasing you, and they think that he will come after you if you're on your own."

Eriko looked surprised for a second, her face then becoming expressionless as she stared out the window. "So I take it I'm going to a foster home?"

"No, actually... You're going to be staying with us." Suichi said, smiling at Eriko.

"Say WHAT?" Eriko lunged from her seat belt, only to flinch and relax again. "No, you don't have to... I'll be fine... really..."

This time it was Mrs. Minamino who smiled. "Don't worry. You're welcome in our home."

_God, please kill me now..._ Eriko thought desperately. She did not want to live with this guy and his mother until her father was caught. Frankly, she didn't want to live with anyone. And these people, nice as they were, were not on the top of her list of possible temporary families. She leaned her back against the seat and shut her eyes.

Eriko dozed off and the next time she woke up, someone was gently touching her shoulder. Instinctively, she grabbed their wrist while her eyes fluttered open.

"Don't touch me when I'm sleeping, Suichi." Eriko muttered, glaring into his impossibly green eyes. He smiled again, which made Eriko soften her expression unintentionally.

"I just wanted to tell you that we were here." Eriko blushed suddenly when sherealized she was still touching his wrist, and jerked her own hand back.

"Thanks." She muttered as she climbed out of the car. She reached over and grabbed a bag that had her clothes in it, mostly school uniforms and her night clothes. Eriko sighed and started walking up to the front door, Suichi infront of her.

Some sudden scrabbling at the front gate brought her attention to a large akita that must have hopped the gate to get in. It was pure white except for a black patch of fur over it's left eye. It's left eye was golden amber while the other was light blue.

"Oh, boy." Eriko said as the dog tackled her, knocking her back into Suichi. The dog got Eriko onto her back and started licking her face wildly.

'You're BACK! I didn't think I was going to see you again, Miss Eri!' The dog growled politely as it licked her.

"I'm _fine_ Huka! FINE! Let me up, you're hurting my shoulder!" Suichi dragged the dog back, expecting to have to take Eriko back to the hospital for a dog bite, but she only sat up and wiped her face of all the dog drool. "Energetic mutt. You can let 'er go, Suichi. She's not going to hurt anyone..."

He hesitantly let the dog go, which sat down right next to Eriko.

"You know this dog?"

"Know her? Hell, she eats my lunch everyday because she's too lazy to go and find her own." Eriko scratched the dog behind the ears. "You were scared when you didn't see me at school, huh Huka?" The dog made a loving sound and nuzzled Eriko like a mother dog nuzzled her pups. "Go on, Huka. I'll see you at the park tomorrow, ok?"

'Alright, Miss Eri. If you promise me, I'll go.'

"I promise Huka." Eriko gently hugged the massive dog one last time before it left. She watched her for a few seconds, when Suichi sat down next to her.

"You care about animals very much, don't you?" He asked quietly.

"They've been the only ones with me since everything that happened..." Eriko answered automatically, not paying very much attention. "I've always felt like they were looking out for me." She smirked bitterly. "It was a dog that saved me, if I remember right."

Eriko turned and looked at Suichi, only inches from her. She looked away suddenly, getting a familiar feeling that she didn't quite recognize right away.

"I'm going inside." She stood up and walked into his house.

_Why'd I tell him that? I've never told anyone that. Atleast, not anyone **human**..._ Eriko was surprised at how clean the house was. There were pictures of the happy family every where, rubbing the proverbial salt in her wounds as she was reminded of what was taken from her. Eriko glanced around emotionlessly, walking through the living room and into the kitchen where Mrs. Minamino was.

"Ma'am, could you tell me where I'll be staying and where the bathroom is? I'd like to take a shower." Eriko asked tentatively.

"Your room is down the hall, first on the right. The bathroom is right next to it. You don't have to call me ma'am." She replied with a chuckle.

"Thanks." Eriko nodded and headed to the room she'd be staying in. She dropped off her stuff while grabbing a black pair of pants and a white t-shirt and heading into the bathroom.

While the water was heating up, she started looking at the bullet wound. _I'm no doctor, but I don't think I should be healing this fast..._ The bullet hole was completely closed and scarred over, only slight redness and a bruise where it had been hours before.

After Eriko took her shower, she headed back to her room and unpacked the meager amounts of clothes she had with her. She intended to stop off at her apartment the next day to pick up more, knowing that her father wouldn't be caught that soon if they hadn't found him after a week of her sitting in the hospital.

She yawned and rubbed her eyes, feeling drowsy. "These painkillers are going to knock me out..." She mumbled to herself as she shut a drawer in the dresser. She moved over to the bed and layed down, rolling onto her side away from the door.

"Maybe a little nap won't hurt..." She muttered quietly, yawning again before falling asleep.

A five-year-old Eriko sat on her bed, waiting for her mother to tuck her in. Her dad was away on a business trip, like he often was, so it was just her and her mother at home.

"Mommy!" Eriko cried gleefully as she smiled up at her mother.

Aneko sat down on her daughter's bed and pulled the covers over Eriko. "Sh, now Haruko. It's time to sleep. You won't fall asleep if you get yourself all wound up." She smiled down at her daughter.

"I'll fall asleep if you tell me another story!" Eriko said happily as she stared expectantly up at her mother.

Aneko smiled and brushed Eriko's bangs out of her eyes. "Alright, Haruko. What story do you want to hear?"

"Tell me a story about a kitsune!"

Aneko visibly paled, but it was only slightly and her daughter didn't notice. "Alright, my little one. I'll tell you a story about a very powerful kitsune, named Yoko Kurama..."

Aneko proceeded to tell the younger Eriko tales of Yoko's exploits; how he was an expert thief and some would even go as far as calling him the prince of thieves and kitsune alike.

"I wish I was a kitsune. Then I could be strong and smart like Yoko-Kurama." Eriko said quietly as she began to fall asleep.

Aneko paled more and flinched, shaking her daughter slightly to wake her up again.

"Haruko Eriko Hinasaki, you must never say such a thing again. Especially in front of your father. Do you understand, Haruko?"

"Why, mommy?" Eriko asked as she stared questioningly up at her mother.

"You must never, ever say that again Haruko. That is all you need to know. Now, promise your mother you will never say that again. Please?" Aneko hugged her daughter tightly so she couldn't see the look of fear on her mother's face or the tears that started to form in her eyes.

"I promise, mommy." Eriko said as she hugged her mother back.

_Haruko... I'm so sorry, Haruko. I should have... I should..._

The dream shattered as Eriko's eyes shot open. She sat quickly up in bed and looked out the only window in the room. It was night outside, and a quick look at the clock confirmed it was the early hours of the day.

"Why am I dreaming of the past?" Eriko said as she hugged her knees to her chest and sat against the head board of the bed. "And what is it with the freaking foxes?" She said bitterly as she remember the dream she had a week ago and her father calling her 'fox'.

Eriko slipped out of bed and opened the window, looking outside at the moon. There was something calming about the lunar body that relaxed every muscle in her, so she headed back to bed and returned to sleep.

END CHAPTER 2: "Never Say That Again."

...ooo Replies ooo...

shadowkitsuneonna : Yep, same thing. I'm moving from animespiral so I can update at school.

RoseFire-shadow66 : Thanks o I hope you liked this chapter too.


	3. The Fox's Appearance

CHAPTER 3 : The Fox's Appearance

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't own YYH or Kurama, but I DO own all characters of my creation. Don't copy or use them in any way unless you have my consent.

"Dammit! This is taking forever!" Yusuke shouted as he and Kuwabara walked around the park for the umt-nth time. "Trust Koenma to give us out-dated information! 'Miss Hinasaki is no longer living at this complex'. Stupid receptionist... wouldn't even give us a forwarding address..."

Yusuke grumbled various curses while they continued to look around, not noticing Eriko sitting on a park bench nearby trying to do her homework while various animals were bothering her.

3 dogs, Huka among them, along with 2 cats and several birds were sitting around her, bombarding her with questions about her absence.

"C'mon guys, I need to get my homework done..." Eriko said, trying to supress a giggle as the animals crowded around her.

'But Miss Eri, you were gone for seven days! Where were you?' A black mixed-breed dog asked.

"I was at a hospital, Nesu. I was hurt..." Eriko said hesitantly. All the animals were very protective of her, Nesu more than most. She had to be careful around him so he didn't hurt anyone.

'How'd you get hurt, Miss Eri?' This from a small bob-tailed kitten named Yasuo.

Eriko fell silent and continued to work.

'Well?' Nesu pompted, obviously concerned.

"My dad found me." She went back to her work. "I don't want to talk about it, so why don't you guys run home. I'll see you tomorrow."

All of the animals looked at her with concern before they all dispersed in a different direction. Huka remained behind.

"What about you, Huka? Aren't you going home?"

Huka looked up at her with her strange mixed-matched eyes. 'I can't leave you on your own. Not with him out looking for you. Please forgive me for disobeying, Miss Eri.' Huka layed down next to the bench and layed her head on her paws. 'I'll stay with you until he is caught.'

Eriko looked suprised for a moment, then smiled. "If that's what you want, Huka." Eriko reached down and scratched the dog behind the ears.

"Hey, Urameshi... Isn't that her?" Kuwabara pointed to Eriko sitting on the bench.

"She's almost as short as Hiei. Are you sure she's been holding the turf here?" Yusuke said, doubt plain as day in his voice as he compared the face on the photo with the girl sitting on the bench.

"I'm pretty sure..."

"Oh well, let's go and get this over with. The sooner this case is over, the better." Yusuke stuck the picture in his back pocket and started walking over to Eriko, Kuwabara close behind.

"Hey, Haruko! Can I have a word with you?" Yusuke asked when they were close enough.

Eriko froze when she heard that name. Huka noticed her sudden tension and turned to the boys, standing up and bristling. She had her head low and was snarling at them

"How do you know that name?" Eriko said in a quiet and dangerous tone. Huka continued to snarl, snapping her jaws at them aggressively.

"Hey, do you think you got her angry enough that she's gonna sic all the dogs in Tokyo on you?" Kuwabara asked worriedly, eyeing the defensive Huka.

This sent a fine tremor through Eriko. _How the hell do they know about my ties with animals! How the hell do they know my first name!_ Eriko glanced up at them, her eyes filled with suspicion.

"Who the hell are you?" She asked, putting her school stuff away. "Back off Huka, there's nothing to be worried about." Huka stopped growling instantly and sat next to Eriko, making it obvious that she was ready to beat the hell out of the two boys if they so much as looked at Eriko the wrong way.

"You don't need to get hostile, Haruko. We just wanna talk to you for a sec." Eriko watched Yusuke suspiciously. He was the first person she had ever seen that hadn't reacted when they saw Huka's display of aggression.

"No one has called me 'Haruko' since I was five. It's Eriko now, so if you don't mind could you tell me who the hell you are!"

"Fair enough." Yusuke shrugged, locking eyes with Eriko and giving her his fiercest gaze. "I'm Yusuke, and this is Kuwabara."

Eriko's eyes widened slightly as she leaned back on the bench. "So, what did I do to deserve a visit from the infamous Urameshi of Sariaski Jr. High? If it's about that ass-kicking I handed to those idiots a few days ago, they had it coming. They came _here_ looking for a fight, not the other way around." Eriko leaned forward again, returning Yusuke's gaze with one of her equally dangerous and icy glares. "Of course, I shouldn't call it an ass-kicking. I didn't even have to throw a punch."

"I could care less about what you did a few days ago. The fact is, now that I've found your ass, you're coming with us so I can finish this stupid and pointless case!" Yusuke pulled out his communication mirror and flipped it open.

"Hey, Botan, I found her. Where do you want me to drop her off?"

"Excuse me?" Eriko growled. "I'm not going anywhere. Especially with you." She picked up her bag and started walking.

"Dammit! Stay here! I've been looking for you for over two hours and I'm not going to loose you now!" Yusuke grabbed her shoulder.

"HYA!" Before Yusuke knew what hit him, Eriko had twisted around and given him a good soc in the gut.

"Damn, she's fast for a short kid. Strong too." Yusuke said. He was still standing, much to Eriko's surprise and seemed to have barely felt Eriko's punch. She quickly knocked his hand off of her shoulder and started backing up, Huka charging infront of her and growling.

"Let's go, Huka. Now." Eriko turned around and bolted.

"WAIT!" Yusuke and Kuwabara shouted, following after her.

Eriko almost passed Suichi's house, but she remembered just in time to skid to a halt and run in, slamming the door and locking it behind her. _I knew Urameshi was tough, but he acted like my punches felt like little more than nothing..._ Eriko thought in confusion.

"Something wrong, Eriko?" Mrs. Minamino asked as she walked into the living room, smiling at her.

"Wha? No, nothing's wrong..." Eriko jerked in surprise when she walked in. Before she could ask anymore questions, Eriko was already walking into her room and shutting the door behind her.

**...ooo Yusuke & Kuwabara ooo...**

"Man, she's fast..." Kuwabara gasped while he held the stitch in his side.

"I think my lungs died with the way they're burning..." Yuske muttered, leaning on the wall. "Remind me to yell at Botan when we see her again... Damn, when did she get so fast! Koenma's tape didn't say shit about how fast she was!"

"Yusuke, Kuwabara, what are you doing here?" Kurama asked as he walked up to the two of them, his backpack slung over his shoulder. It appeared he was walking home.

"Hey Kurama. We're just working on a case for Koenma." Yusuke replied, smiling at him.

"This case wouldn't happen to be Eriko Hinasaki, would it?" Kurama started walking past them, so they started walking next to him.

"Yeah, it is actually. How'd you know?" Kuwabara asked.

"I go to school with her for one thing, and she's currently living with me and my mother..."

"What!" Yusuke shouted. "You mean she's been staying with you this whole time!"

Kurama smiled briefly. "Actually, she's only stayed for one night, but she does stay with us none-the-less. Her father tried to kill her, you see, and the police thought it better to have her stay with someone familiar than to be on her own."

Yusuke shrugged. "Yeah, that's right. I'm supposed to get her before her old man does her in."

"Why don't you try and let me talk to her tonight, Yusuke. Then I'll have her speak with you tomorrow."

"Alright, Kurama. Makes it easier on me. C'mon Kuwabara, the arcade is calling us!" Yusuke and Kuwabara smirked and started running down the street. Kurama couldn't help but chuckle as they ran off.

Kurama walked into his house and greeted his mother as he normally did before asking where Eriko was.

"She's in her room... She hasn't left it since she got home." She replied, sounding kind of worried.

Kurama nodded and walked back to the hall before knocking on the shut door.

"Come in." Eriko said, only half paying attention. She was layed out on the floor with various assignments strewn around her, a book laying opened infront of her. She had changed out of her school uniform and was wearing a white t-shirt and dark blue shorts. Her left arm was sitting infront of her while her head rested on her right. She looked like she'd been doing homework. He also noticed that a kitten with a bobbed tail and light blue-gray patches was curled up on the small of her back.

"Sorry, am I interrupting something?" He started to close the door.

"No, I'm just finishing my homework and checking it over. You want something?" She closed the book and nudged the kitten off of her back while she started gathering up the paper.

"I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes." Kurama stepped into the room and shut the door behind him.

Eriko glanced at him nervously while she set the paper on the desk in the room. She picked up the mewling kitten and patted him, whispering to him that he need to go and that she'd let him back in later that night.

"So, Suichi, what did you want to talk about?" Eriko asked as she sat on the window sill, facing him. It was the farthest away that she could get from him within the room.

"Did you meet anyone on your way home?"

"No, I didn't." Eriko lied, still watching him carefully. _Why is he asking this?_

He watched her and she had a sneaking suspicion that he knew she lied.

"Why are you lying to me?" He asked calmly, his face an unreadable mask.

Eriko started to get alittle more nervous. Some of it was her natural suspicion of him while the other was the fact that he'd known she'd lied. She looked away from him, hiding her eyes like she normally did when she was trying to think.

"Why don't you trust me, Eriko? I'm not going to hurt you..."

Eriko looked straight at him. "I don't trust you because I know you're hiding something. How can you trust someone when they can't be straight with you?"

"I'm not-"

"Don't lie to me, Suichi Minamino. I knew you were hiding something big even when I first met you, so don't you dare try to bullshit me." Eriko crossed her arms as she watched him, his face still that unreadable mask.

He sighed and shut his eyes, rubbing his temple with his hand. To Eriko, it looked like he was trying to buy some time to figure out what to say, while others would have thought he was just growing bored with her accusations.

"Believe what you like Eriko, but I'm not hiding anything. I only want to help you. Why can't you see that?"

"..." Eriko didn't answer while she stared at him. After half a minute, she finally said, "What could be so important that you'd hide it with such skill, Suichi? Does your mother even _know_ that you're hiding something?" Her own face was just as unreadable as his.

Suichi turned and left the room, leaving Eriko by herself while she thought about the conversation she'd just had with him.

_I knew he was hiding something..._ Eriko thought to herself. She stretched and layed down on her bed while she thought.

Eriko must have dozed off, because the next time she woke, it was around seven at night.

"Damn, I forgot to go and pick up some clothes..." She muttered. Her eyes drifted to the window, and she got an idea.

She quickly scribbled out a note to Suichi and his mother about where'd she gone and pulled on an extra pair of shoes she kept in her backpack. She looked back at the door before climbing out of the window.

**...ooo Kurama's House ooo...**

"Suichi, could you go and tell Eriko it's time for dinner?" Mrs. Minamino asked her son as she set the places at the table.

"Yes, mother." Kurama replied and got up from the couch in the lving room.

_Eriko hasn't left her room or made any noise since I last spoke with her. Is she truly that angry with me?_ Kurama thought as he knocked on her door.

No answer.

"Eriko?" Kurama opened the door and looked in. She was nowhere in sight. "Eriko!" Kurama walked into the room and over to the window, which was open slighty. _Why did she...?_ He looked onto her bed where she had placed the note. He picked up the note and quickly read it.

_Suichi and Mrs. Minamino:  
If you're reading this, that means I haven't gotten back yet. I just  
went over to my apartment to pick up more of my clothes from my house.  
It's 7:09 right now, and I expect to be back around 7:45 to 8:00. Please  
don't worry about me, I'll be fine and I can take care of myself. I doubt  
I'll be found by him if I hurry. Who knows, maybe he already left the area.  
See you Soon, Eri_

Kurama looked at the clock. It was 7:14 right now, so he thought he could catch up with her if he hurried. He set the note down and went back to the living room, and put his shoes on quickly.

"Eriko went out, mother. I'm going to get her, alright? I'll be back soon."

He quickly went out the door and jogged up the street towards her apartment. _I have a bad feeling about Eriko leaving on her own... She should have atleast taken mother with her so she wouldn't be attacked by her father..._

**...ooo Eriko's Apartment ooo...**

Eriko sifted through her trashed apartment as she headed to her room. It seemed her dad had come back after she'd found safety at Suichi's and destroyed the place in anger. She peaked into her room and found it completely untouched.

"Why would you destroy the rest of the apartment and leave my room alone?" Eriko asked herself. She glanced at a picure frame turned on it's face on her dresser, and when she flipped it up, she noticed that the glass was shattered like someone had hit it. It had been a picture of her mother.

"So you did come in... you just couldn't stand to see your victim's face..." Eriko openned the back and pulled the photo out and stared at it.

"Finally come back home, fox?"

Eriko jerked and looked at the doorway, where her father stood motionlessly.

"Oh, fuck." Eriko muttered as she folded the picture up and slid it into her pocket.

"Time for me to finish what I started ten years ago..." He held up a glowing bullet infront of her. "See this? Normally, because of what you are, I would use my spirit energy to make sure you were dead. But, thanks to your mother, I can't use it like I should beable to. All of my spirit energy is sealed up in me, but it's still in my blood, so as long as I use bullets I made with my own blood, you should be dead all the same."

He put the bullet in his pocket and took his gun out of its holster. "These will hurt alot more than those lead spitballs I was using against you earlier. I suggest you don't move or else I'll miss something vital and you'll feel the worst pain in your life..." He started to point it at Eriko, but she tackled him before he got a shot off.

"Shit, shit, shit..." Eriko continued to mutter as she rolled off of him. She was more concerned about getting away than grabbing the gun as she leapt off of him and nearly tripped out of the door. She could hear him following her down the stairs as she tripped on the last few steps, landing face-first on the ground level.

She shook herself up and continued to run along the darkened, empty sidewalk. Her father was much closer now and he decided to fire a round off. The bullet took her in the leg.

"Augh!" She shouted as she fell again. She screamed because it felt like someone had stuck a red-hot poker in the injury that now leaked large amounts of blood onto the pavement. Eriko tried to stand, but the leg was useless and she ended up watching her father walk triumphantly up to her.

He stared down at her for a brief moment, smirking at her as she stared fearfully up at him.

_Don't fear him, Haruko..._ A somewhat familiar voice called out to her. _Remember what your mother was, and you will know what you are..._

"But I don't understand...!" Eriko whispered in response. An image flashed in her head of a large storm-gray kitsune with black tipped ears, paws, and tail. Her face also had black mask-like marking. She remembered now what it had been! It had been her mother in her true shape, trying to console Eriko while her kitsune half tried to awake within her.

Eriko's eyes suddenly turned pure, pupil-less white as a feeling of immense pain erupted over her body. It felt like something huge within her was trying to force its way out of a very small opening. Two black, gray edged ears appeared on the top of her head while her hair turned pure white. A fluffy, black tail with a gray tip also appeared suddenly.

Her father didn't look surprised with her sudden transformation in the least as he pressed the barrel of the gun to her temple. "Good bye, Haruko. May you forever rot in hell for your sins."

Eriko grabbed his hand suddenly and pushed the gun away from her face. She yanked it out of his grip and threw it over her shoulder while she glared at him.

She shoved him away as she stood on her own, her fox tail waving angrily behind her. She stared at the puddle of blood that had formed underneath her and looked surprised at her new ears, hair, and tail. She looked up and glared at her father, he seemed pissed that he'd lost his gun.

"That's why you killed her, because she was a kitsune. That's why you're trying to kill me now, too. Because I was her daughter. You forget something, dear ol' dad. I was your daughter too, and she was your loving wife!" Eriko snarled at him, her hands glowing with white light. The air crackled with her unleashed and uncontrolled spirit energy, attracting demons from all over Tokyo at the sudden appearance of new energy.

**...ooo Spirit World ooo...**

"Koenma, sir!" The blue orge burst into Koenma's office, waving a paper with several things circled in red.

"What is it Ogre, I'm busy!" Koenma shouted at him, getting ready to dig into his dinner.

"You need to see this! There was a huge burst of spirit energy in Tokyo, and it's attracting all the demons within the city!"

"WHAAAAAAAT!"

Koenma quickly turned on the TV in his office, flipping through the channels until he found the one with Eriko on it.

"HOLY COW! Ogre! Who is that!" Koenma said as his binky almost fell out of his mouth. Ogre quickly looked down at the page, trying to find who it was.

"It says here that it's Haruko Hinasaki. You know, that half kitsune Yusuke was supposed to bring back to spirit world before her Kitsune half materialized."

"Yusuke is in so much trouble when I talk with him! Tell Hiei he has to go and bring her back, he's the only one I know that won't screw this up worse than it is..."

"What about Kurama, sir? Doesn't he stand a better chance of calming her down since she knows him?"

Koenma sighed and layed his head down on the desk.

"Normally, I would have sent Kurama, but he told me she doesn't trust him at all! It would only make the situation worse if he showed up while she was looking like that..." Koenma whined.

"Uh, Koenma sir?"

"What now, Ogre?"

"Kurama's already on there..."

"This just went from bad to worse... Get Hiei out there immediately!"

**...ooo Kurama and Eriko ooo...**

Eriko was a foot shorter than her 6 feet tall father, but she wasn't scared of him anymore. In fact, she was beyond pissed as she glared at him with her ghostly white eyes.

"If I knew how, I would kill you the same way you killed my mother. I guess I'll just have to settle for beating the shit out of you with my fists..." She clenched her fists as they glowed more brightly. Just when she was about to take a step, the scent of roses filled the air forcing her to hesitate and allowing her father to give her a quick elbow to the stomach.

"Ugh..." Eriko grunted as she fell back four or five feet away from where she had been standing. She clutched her stomach and coughed, trying to get her breathing under control as her father grabbed his gun.

"Eriko!" Kurama called out as he ran onto the scene and kneeled down next to her, helping her sit up.

"Su-Suichi? Get out of here, before-"

Eriko heard her father's gun cock as her eyes widened slightly. She shoved Kurama away and shrieked when she felt another one of her father's bullet's tear into her chest.

Kurama watched as the bullet connected and she stood up shakily, clutching the bullet hole that was in her chest. He looked back and saw her father getting ready to take a final shot at her.

"Rose Whip!" He took a rose out of his hair and formed the whip, using it to get the gun away from her father.

Eriko looked at him with a stange look on her face. Part of it was the pain she was already feeling, the other part was something he couldn't decipher. She looked back at her father, and her hatred for him was apparent.

Eriko back-pedalled suddenly and ran off into the darkness much faster than she should have gone. She didn't know why, but that feeling of familiarity for Suichi was much stronger now then it had ever been. It bugged her, because she recognized that feeling that only animals, and now she, had.

_Does that mean you're half-kitsune, too Suichi?_

Eriko collapsed in the park, trying to get her breath as she clutched the bloody hole in her chest. She could feel herself fading while the blood leaked past her hand. She was starting to get light headed and more confused about everything.

She blinked her eyes, trying to keep the darkness from eating away at her vision.

A shorter figure behind her raised the back of a katana over head, preparing to knock her out. Eriko jerked suddenly and turned, grabbing the hilt of the katana weakly before it came down on her head.

He was about as tall as she was with black, spiky hair and dark red eyes. He also wore a white bandana.

He took one hand from the katana and hit her on the head, knocking her already weakened body completely out.

**...ooo Kurama ooo...**

Kurama ran into the park shortly after Hiei had knocked her out. Her kitsune features had already disappeared while she laid bleeding on the grass.

"Did you capture him?" Hiei asked as he sheathed his sword.

"No, he escaped when I tried to stop Eriko from running away."

Hiei smirked. "You're losing your touch, Kurama, if a human was able to escape from you."

Kurama looked at him emotionlessly and knelt by Eriko again, gently finding the pulse in her neck. It was slow and weak, which worried him.

"Koenma sent you, I take it?"

"Hn." Hiei handed him a blanket to wrap her up with. "If that baka of a spirit detective had done his job, she wouldn't have been in this situation."

"There wasn't much Yusuke could have done. She didn't know what she was, so she would have assumed Yusuke was insane if he told her about Spirit World."

"Don't be so sure." He bent down and picked her up easily. "Koenma wanted me to bring her back to Spirit World. He also wants to talk to you when you get the chance. It would probably be better if you were around when she wakes up, trust or not."

"I understand."

Hiei nodded and bolted back to the portal that would take them to spirit world.

...END CHAPTER 3...


End file.
